Sawatch
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Feb 12, 2021 · Sawatch
Weather
It snowed lightly most of the day. There was maybe an inch of accumulation. Winds weren't too bad in sheltered areas with no wind loading. I didn't get on any exposed ridges.
Snowpack
Snowfall from the first week of February has settled into a thick, one-finger hard slab. The slab varies in thickness from 40 cm below treeline to 65 cm near treeline. Above this slab is 10 to 15 cm of fist-hard recent snow. In every Extended Column Test that I conducted I got propagating results. Results were easy below treeline and moderate near treeline. The weak layer is 2 mm facets and sits about 50 cm off the ground. I also got a large collapse near treeline. The Fremont Pass Snotel has gained 2.3" of swe since 2/1/21 a 35% increase over the 2/1/21 value of 6.5" swe.
Avalanche
I came across one old avalanche below treeline.